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Does Ivy Damage a Tree

Eanna Ní Lamha and Richard Collins discuss whether the presence of ivy on a tree make it more prone to blowing over. Paul Whelan, Lichenologist, takes issue with Eanna. He thinks it should be minimised and managed to increase biodiversity.

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Dolphins and Whales

Dr Simon Berrow is a Lecturer in Marine Biology at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology in Galway, and is also with the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.

In the North Atlantic there are maybe 12,000 humpback whales. In the same area there are probably 20,000 fin whales and 20,000 minky whales. We probably know more about the humpback whales than any other. They are normally identified by their tail and dorsal fin

Pictures below are of a humpback whale called Dutchie. It was recorded first in May, 2009 by Connor Ryan, who photographed it off the coast of Ireland. The following December it was recorded in the Netherlands. Then in late 2012, in Northern Norway. That is an incredible journey for a humpback whale.

Ireland Sighting

Netherlands Sighting

Norway Sighting

Images of match of Dutchie to Tromso, we identified it from Ireland to the Netherlands by barnacle scars on its head and its dorsal fin as it didn't fluke in Ireland.

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Animal Courtship and Copycat Behaviour

Associate Professor and Head of Zoology at Trinity, Nicola Marples explains how biologists from Trinity College Dublin have shown that individuals with very different, ingrained approaches to trying new foods are influenced by the presence and actions of rivals eating those same new foods.

Through a combination of genetic hard-wiring and environmental influences, animals in a given population conform to one of two foraging strategies. However, it seems with chicks – as sometimes with young children – that imitation goes hand in hand with development.

Nicola also discusses animal courtship which can be wild, wacky and even romantic. Animals will dance, strut and sometimes even fight for their true love. They will sing, bellow and offer things to eat. They change colors, leave scented notes and build homes to attract and win over a suitable partner.

In the animal world, it is usually the boys that are trying to impress the girls and courtship isn't limited to one particular species. Mammals have many diverse and often affectionate ways of courting their prospective mates, but it's birds, reptiles and even insects that have some very unusual ways of wooing their mates.

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Raven Love

Love is in the air and traditionally St. Valentine’s Day is the day in which the robin chooses its mate. Well, for the much larger Rook, it happens a lot earlier in the year!

Eddie Drew runs Copsewood Aviaries in Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow and he has a pair of ravens for a number of years now. They have bred successfully for three years and are presently nest building and eggs should be laid in the next week or two. The aviary is open to the public at weekends and there is a wide variety of birds on show and for sale.

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Crow Puzzle Solver

BBC presenter Chris Packham is a guest on MOONEY Goes Wild today. And he tells us about one of the most remarkable birds he has ever encountered. A Crow solving a complex, eight-stage puzzle, demonstrating its extraordinary intelligence. Take a look at the video below:

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Hedgerows: It is an offence to 'cut, grub, burn or otherwise destroy hedgerows on uncultivated land during the nesting season from 1 March to 31 August, subject to certain exceptions'. For more information, click here.